Cambio di stagione
Monday, May 18, 2009
Mondays are generally the day I'm filled with the most hope. It's the beginning of the week and I am usually revved up to go by 8am. Today I have decided to do my cambio di stagione (change of season), which is when I change all the clothes in my armadio (closet) from winter to summer. Because the space in our apartment is minimal, it's necessary to do the cambio di stagione twice a year. It sounds like it'd be tedious, but I actually love it. It's when I know that we have turned a corner, and summer has finally arrived.
The first step is always the easiest: take out all the winter clothes from the armadio. I have special containers for the clothes that have to be stored for half the year. I pull out the containers and empty them onto the couch. As usual, I get distracted by all the summer clothes and shoes that I haven't seen since last fall when I did the last cambio di stagione. No matter how much I love winter with all the scarves, sweaters, and jackets, I'm also happy when we enter into summer. For me it's when I add a lot more color to my wardrobe instead of my basic black that goes with everything.
For the past few weeks, other friends of mine told me that they already did their cambio di stagione, but I am a bit more cautious. I worry that it'll begin to rain again or get cold, so I wait longer than most. I remember last June when we had a cold spell and I had to pull out my boots and jacket from the containers.
I fold the winter clothes into the containers, hang up the summer clothes in the armadio, and in the process remove some items that I'll give away to charity. I enjoy the cambio di stagione because I feel like I get to sort through my things, remove some of them, and store the rest away. Now, I can even go shopping to see what new items I'd like to get for myself.
The sun is shining brightly outside and the city noises are coming through the open windows of our apartment. I close my armadio, which now stores all my colorful summer clothes. I am finally ready for summer and happy for the hotter and longer days to come.
